Israel Spiritual Symposium: The Land of Spiritual Acquisition

Like any precious achievement, God ensures that Israel is acquired only through real struggle. Understanding this unlocks the mystery of the current Mideast situation.

The Midrash says that God gave the Jewish people three presents which were also desired by the nations, and which can only be acquired through suffering: 1) Torah, 2) the Land of Israel, and 3) the World to Come. (Sifri - Devarim 32)

The fact that the Midrash groups these Divine gifts together indicates that they share a unifying common denominator. As Torah and the World to Come are clearly spiritual gifts, the Land of Israel must have a spiritual aspect as well. In fact, the proper appreciation of this spiritual quality is the key to unlocking the mystery behind the current Mideast conflict.

Why should acquiring Israel be any different than acquiring Uganda?

There is no way to understand this if we conceive of Israel as being just another country, much like the United States or Canada in quality, although considerably smaller. Such countries do not need to be "acquired through suffering"; they have no intrinsic spiritual aspect. God designed them as suitable habitats for humans who possess the spiritual reach programmed into the species at the moment of creation. There is no need for the human user to "grow into" these lands.

But Israel was not designed to be user-friendly. Just as the World to Come is only open to the spiritually deserving, the Land of Israel was designated as the earthly habitat of the human who strives to perfect himself and reaches out to God. In the unperfected form in which they were created, humans cannot live in Israel.

* * *

Humans are unique because they are a mixture of physical and spiritual. We have a body which is similar to all other life forms, but we also have a soul. Body and soul jointly participate in most human activities. When a person eats, for example, the taste of the food, the setting, the cutlery, and the background ambience are almost as important as the nutritional value of the meal. Nevertheless, it is the need of the body for nourishment that provides the impetus for the meal.

Mitzvot are different. While many of them do involve both body and soul - eating matzah, wearing tefillin, blowing a shofar, etc. -- in the case of mitzvot it is the needs of the soul that provide the impetus for engaging in the activity.

To appreciate the subtle flavor of mitzvot, one must look at human activities that are purely spiritual. Deep meditation, for example, is an attempt to leave the confines of the body and express oneself as a pure soul. Because the impetus for mitzvot is, likewise, always a spiritual one, their performance is existentially equivalent to a purely spiritual experience.

But man is not pure soul. The body gets in the way when we engage in a "pure soul" activity. Removing the obstacle of the body necessarily involves tearing away and discarding a piece of oneself, a process that cannot help but be painful.

Living in Israel has all the distinguishing marks of a spiritual experience. The same process of divesting one's physicality is a necessary step in its acquisition. You can only get a grip on Israel as a soul.

We need only to look at the history of Israel to be convinced of this truth.

There is no other territory on earth over which so much human blood has been spilled. The secular theory attributes this strife to the strategic importance of this tiny patch of land, located at the junction of the trade routes connecting the lands of the north and east to Egypt.

An examination of the historical conflicts themselves points to Israel's importance as another sort of junction: its status as the Holy Land. In the minds of believers, Israel is located at the crossroads between the physical and the spiritual, where the mundane can cross over to the holy.

It is here that Cain and Able brought the offerings to God that served as the background to civilization's first homicide. It is here that Noah offered his sacrifice when he emerged from the Ark. It is the locale where Abraham was tested and told to sacrifice Isaac. Jacob's ladder was planted here, and King David later designated this site for the Holy Temple. Christians revere it as the place of Jesus' resurrection, and Islamic tradition designates it as the locale of Mohammed's ascent to heaven.

As all the monotheistic religions subscribe to the Old Testament, they must necessarily regard Israel as holy ground. For monotheists, the Land of Israel lies at the entrance to Heaven. Whoever holds it is already partially through the gate.

Christians and Muslims fought bitterly over Israel's possession as a holy resource in the Crusades, and today Arabs are fighting Jews for much the same reason. The terrorist acts from which Jews suffer are the work of suicide bombers and gunmen who believe they are earning eternal reward by sacrificing their lives in a religious Crusade to drive the infidel out of the Holy Land.

The Western mind may find it difficult to comprehend how a portion of earth that seems no different from any other can be designated as the habitat of the soul. But it is impossible to explain how Israel could have engendered so much conflict through history -- or become the major focus of world media and the United Nations -- without relating to it as a spiritual, rather than physical, place.

* * *

Settling land physically translates into clearing the soil and taming the landscape. All the labor involved is focused on the outside environment; there is no particular need to work on one's character.

To conquer a spiritual land, this is not enough. Besides taming the soil, whoever wants to settle in such a land must also do heavy work on his soul. To live in a spiritual land, you have to grow into a spiritual person.

All spiritual growth is painful. "With much wisdom comes much grief," said King Solomon, "and he who increases knowledge increases pain" (Ecclesiastes 1:18).

The pain of spiritual growth is the suffering associated with the acquisition of Israel. The land punishes anyone who thinks of living in it as you would in any other country.

How ironic. The early Zionists, who organized the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland, did so with the intention of creating a secular democratic state. They intended to solve the problem of anti-Semitism once and for all, imagining that once the Jews were living in their own land - once they were indistinguishable from Canadians or Americans or Englishmen -- the "Jewish Problem" would finally disappear.

Had Zionist pioneers foreseen that Israel is a land that requires a transition from a body-based lifestyle to one that is soul-based, they may never have come in the first place. Yet through Divinely-ordained history, there are now 5 million Jews in Israel -- the majority non-religious -- with no place to go, stuck in a land that demands soul-based behavior in order to acquire it.

In fact, the actualization of the Zionist scenario -- the successful establishment of a Westernized Jewish welfare state in Israel -- would effectively bring the secularized history of the Jewish people to an end. True, there would be hi-tech and Gucci and even Nobel Peace Prizes. But there would be no more "from Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of God from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3).

Is it any wonder that Divine Providence cannot allow Jewish history to end this way? Through 2,000 years of exile, Jews have clung to a messianic vision with astonishing stubbornness. We bled rivers of blood in our determination to lead humanity to recognize God and accept His rule.

Is it reasonable to believe that God could allow the loyalty and self-sacrifice of several thousand years to just fade away?

* * *

Which brings us to the Mideast conflict. God is demonstrating to the Jewish people that you cannot live in Israel as you would in New York. To live in Israel, you must fully devote your life to Judaism. After all, this is the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were promised it as an inheritance so that they could worship God at the holiest place on earth.

God understands that the majority of Israelis aren't holding there at present (through no fault of their own), but this doesn't alter the fact that you can only live in Israel as a spiritual country. God has no other option than to make everyone consider what it means to be Jewish.

How can He accomplish this? One way is by allowing Jews to be shot at, blown up and terrorized simply for being Jewish. By allowing them to be terrorized until they reach the stage of hopelessness. After a while, this intense pressure will compel Jews to start asking some very pointed questions. "What's going on here? Why are we so different than other people? What value is being defended here that makes it worth all this blood and sacrifice?"

When an individual Jew reaches this point of soul-searching, he will either leave Israel, or set out to discover the meaning of Judaism. If he chooses the latter course, he will find answers in the Torah, and in so doing, move the Mideast problem one step closer to its true resolution.

God is not out to destroy the remnant of the Jewish people or to drive us out of our ancestral home -- certainly not after allowing us to miraculously regain it after a 2,000-year hiatus. God is just applying some pressure. He is teaching us that it is impossible to live in His Holy Land without thinking about the significance of being Jewish.

He is, in effect, leading us back to Sinai.

The greatest weapon the Arabs possess is the will to sacrifice their lives for their beliefs. The focal point of Jewish vulnerability is that we no longer believe in any higher power and can only rely on the might of our hands. We have absorbed the skepticism of the Western intelligentsia. For many Jews, the highest value is social justice and democracy, and we are seriously weakened by the fact that many of us question the justice of our cause. Torah values and promises are no longer useful to many as a means of justifying sovereignty over our ancestral homeland.

Our immense military power has not led to a speedy resolution. No matter what solution we attempt, we seem helpless to stop the carnage. Our national frustration and pain is aggravated by the fact that a large part of the civilized world regards Jews as the perpetrators of the violence from which we suffer, instead of perceiving us as its victims.

It is essential to have a stubborn belief in the justice of our cause to provide us with the necessary stamina to face the long haul.

Yet many of us come up empty.

What is the solution? For the Jewish people to succeed in our quest of reacquiring this junction between heaven and earth, we must regain our faith and the belief in our cause. We must recognize our current suffering as spiritual growing pains. Because in the end, that is the only means by which the Land of Israel will be acquired.

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About the Author

While studying at the famed yeshivas of Chaim Berlin, Lakewood and the Mir in Jerusalem, Rabbi Noson Weisz also received a degree in Microbiology from the University of Toronto, MA in Political Science at the New School for Social Research and his LLB from the University of Toronto. Rabbi Weisz is currently a senior lecturer at Yeshiva Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 10

(10)
Margarita Cardenas Gil,
August 9, 2010 2:02 AM

This is a deep article. The current jews living in the Holy Land doesn´t want to be the people of the Covenant. They want to live as anybody else. They have forgotten who is his God. They love more this world than his heritage. That is why they can not win more battles before theirs enemies.

(9)
Benzion,
May 1, 2002 12:00 AM

Specific actions?

Great article as always from Rabbi Weisz whom I respect a lot. Given topic however, more than any other, requires mentioning what action would Israel have to take if and when Jews come to understanding that we are dealing with Divine Providence?
As Liz Liener put it "I understand the points you bring up, but what actions should follow?" Many ask this.
Well, here is a problem: to pronounce this next step - specific actions - means to take a fire upon yourself. For it is "politically incorrect". Next step should include all mitzvot concerning the Holy Land including: remove all the hostile population, announce to the world that this is OUR GOD GIVEN LAND FOREVER from the sea to Jordan river, clean up the holiest place on earth: the Temple Mount, etc.
Many Rabbis know this, but nobody wants to pronounce the obvious.
I know only two courageous rabbis - father and son (who were ahead of their time): Meir and Beniomin Kahane. Both are killed. Both are labeled "extremists". Who wants to become next "extremist" ???
Each of us has a long way to go to develop sincerity and courage as a first step on the way to God through actions.
Talking about actions you can be either "politically correct" or "Torah correct". God will not allow any compromise on this. After all He is in command, not UN.
Benzion,
Atlanta, GA

(8)
sarah shapiro,
April 24, 2002 12:00 AM

excellent

Thank you for this, Rabbi Weiss.

(7)
elizabeth coleman,
April 24, 2002 12:00 AM

what a lovely article

This article is full of Truth. Thank you for making it so clear. I wish all newspapers in the U.S. would print this. May the Rock of Israel grant shalom to the people of Israel.

(6)
Anonymous,
April 24, 2002 12:00 AM

Sorry, this article was good, but only up to a point...

"How can He accomplish this? By allowing Jews to be shot at, blown up and terrorized for simply being Jewish. By allowing them to be terrorized until they reach the stage of hopelessness"

No matter how learned the Rabbi is, this is not the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that I pray to. This statement is very poorly put forth. If the Rabbi is trying to make a more moral argument, this is not the way to go about it. I am surely not a learned man in the Tenach, but I am sure that HaShem is more benevolent than this statement would imply.

(5)
Robert Craig,
April 23, 2002 12:00 AM

Holy Ground!

I can only say that I feel as though I have walked on Holy Ground. G-d speed!

(4)
Elizabeth Liener,
April 22, 2002 12:00 AM

What Steps to Take Next?

Hello Rabbi Weisz,

I really enjoyed your article and have been hearing similar discussions from many Orthodox rabbis here where I live. My questions center around what we should next do with this knowledge. What concrete steps do the Jews in Israel (and in the galut) need to take to come closer to Torah and Hashem? Does the government of Israel have the right to go into Palestinian cities and towns and root out terrorists? What concrete actions should Israel take at this point to both defend itself and also strive bring itself closer to Hashem?

No one I've talked to seems to have any specific answers for me. I understand the points you bring up, but what actions should follow? I'm most interested in your opinion.

Best regards,
Liz Liener
Dallas, TX USA

(3)
Raphael Coiman,
April 22, 2002 12:00 AM

back to the miracles

I'm not a pious but not a secular. I believe in that High Mind, energy, power or so that created, and drive the universe. Jews need first to identify each other on common grounds of spirituality and be equal. Only then we'll see again the miracles and blow the shofars at unison until the walls of the enemies fall down.

(2)
juan tealdo wensjoe,
April 22, 2002 12:00 AM

The bottom line

Undoubtly,the bottom line of the article is of essential importance.....the river of History,must be READ....at other level...the spiritual one...there a terrible fight is happening since the begining of Time.....a war between good and evil.....its obvoius for the ones that had visited Israel...that its inhabitants want to live in Peace.....just see al those beatiful trees around the road to the frontier with Egypt,and the Sinai....something the Arab neighbors,with some exceptions ,dont understand. Lets hope ,that also spiritual leadership enlightens arab leaders,so to work a path of Peace for the future of this Holy Land.Shalom

(1)
Neil Kuchinsky,
April 22, 2002 12:00 AM

When Sacrificing One's Life for One's Beliefs is Admirable

There is no need to find anything admirable in anyone's sacrificing their life unless such sacrifice was the product of mature consideration and a knowledge of the facts, rather than as a response to being steeped in lies, ignorance and propaganda.

I’m wondering what happened to the House of David. After the end of the Kingdom of Judah was there any memory what happened to King David’s descendants? Is there any family today which can trace its lineage to David – and whom the Messiah might descend from?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Thank you for your good question. There is no question that King David’s descendants are alive today. God promised David through Nathan the Prophet that the monarchy would never depart from his family (II Samuel 7:16). The prophets likewise foretell the ultimate coming of the Messiah, descendant of David, the “branch which will extend from the trunk of Jesse,” who will restore the Davidic dynasty and Israel’s sovereignty (Isaiah 11:1, see also Jeremiah 33:15, Ezekiel 37:25).

King David’s initial dynasty came to an end with the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian Exile. In an earlier expulsion King Jehoiachin was exiled by Nebuchadnezzar, together with his family and several thousand of the Torah scholars and higher classes (II Kings 24:14-16). Eleven years later the Temple was destroyed. The final king of Judah, Jehoiachin’s uncle Zedekiah, was too exiled to Babylonia. He was blinded and his children were executed (II Kings 25:7).

However, Jehoiachin and his descendants did survive in exile. Babylonian cuneiform records actually attest to Jehoiachin and his family receiving food rations from the government. I Chronicles 3:17:24 likewise lists several generations of his descendants (either 9 or 15 generations, depending on the precise interpretation of the verses), which would have extended well into the Second Temple era. (One was the notable Zerubbabel, grandson of Jehoiachin, who was one of the leaders of the return to Zion and the construction the Second Temple.)

In Babylonia, the leader of the Jewish community was known as the Reish Galuta (Aramaic for “head of the exile,” called the Exilarch in English). This was a hereditary position recognized by the Babylonian government. Its bearer was generally quite wealthy and powerful, well-connected to the government and wielding much authority over Babylonian Jewry.

According to Jewish tradition, the Exilarch was a direct descendant of Jehoiachin. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 5a) understands Genesis 49:10 – Jacob’s blessing to Judah that “the staff would not be removed from Judah” – as a reference to the Exilarchs in Babylonia, “who would chastise Israel with the staff,” i.e., who exercised temporal authority over the Jewish community. It stands to reason that these descendants of Judah were descendants of David’s house, who would have naturally been the leaders of the Babylonian community, in fulfillment of God’s promise to David that authority would always rest in his descendants.

There is also a chronological work, Seder Olam Zutta (an anonymous text from the early Middle Ages), which lists 39 generations of Exilarchs beginning with Jehoiachin. One of the commentators to Chronicles, the Vilna Gaon, states that the first one was Elionai of I Chronicles 3:23.

The position of Exilarch lasted for many centuries. The Reish Galuta is mentioned quite often in the Talmud. As can be expected, some were quite learned themselves, some deferred to the rabbis for religious matters, while some, especially in the later years, fought them and their authority tooth and nail.

Exilarchs existed well into the Middle Ages, throughout the period of the early medieval scholars known as the Gaonim. The last ones known to history was Hezekiah, who was killed in 1040 by the Babylonian authorities, although he was believed to have had sons who escaped to Iberia. There are likewise later historical references to descendants of the Exilarchs, especially in northern Spain (Catelonia) and southern France (Provence).

Beyond that, there is no concrete evidence as to the whereabouts of King David’s descendants. Supposedly, the great French medieval sage Rashi (R. Shlomo Yitzchaki) traced his lineage to King David, although on a maternal line. (In addition, Rashi himself had only daughters.) The same is said of Rabbi Yehuda Loewe of Prague (the Maharal). Since Ashkenazi Jews are so interrelated, this is a tradition, however dubious today, shared by many Ashkenazi Jews.

In any event, we do not need be concerned today how the Messiah son of David will be identified. He will be a prophet, second only to Moses. God Himself will select him and appoint him to his task. And he himself, with his Divine inspiration, will resolve all other matters of Jewish lineage (Maimonides Hilchot Melachim 12:3).

Yahrtzeit of Kalonymus Z. Wissotzky, a famous Russian Jewish philanthropist who died in 1904. Wissotzky once owned the tea concession for the Czar's entire military operation. Since the Czar's soldiers numbered in the millions and tea drinking was a daily Russian custom, this concession made Wissotzky very rich. One day, Wissotzky was approached by the World Zionist Organization to begin a tea business in Israel. He laughed at this preposterous idea: the market was small, the Turkish bureaucracy was strict, and tea leaves from India were too costly to import. Jewish leaders persisted, and Wissotzky started a small tea company in Israel. After his death, the tea company passed to his heirs. Then in 1917, the communists swept to power in Russia, seizing all of the Wissotzky company's assets. The only business left in their possession was the small tea company in Israel. The family fled Russia, built the Israeli business, and today Wissotzky is a leading brand of tea in Israel, with exports to countries worldwide -- including Russia.

Building by youth may be destructive, while when elders dismantle, it is constructive (Nedarim 40a).

It seems paradoxical, but it is true. We make the most important decisions of our lives when we are young and inexperienced, and our maximum wisdom comes at an age when our lives are essentially behind us, and no decisions of great moment remain to be made.

While the solution to this mystery eludes us, the facts are evident, and we would be wise to adapt to them. When we are young and inexperienced, we can ask our elders for their opinion and then benefit from their wisdom. When their advice does not coincide with what we think is best, we would do ourselves a great service if we deferred to their counsel.

It may not be popular to champion this concept. Although we have emerged from the era of the `60s, when accepting the opinion of anyone over thirty was anathema, the attitude of dismissing older people as antiquated and obsolete has-beens who lack the omniscience of computerized intelligence still lingers on.

Those who refuse to learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. We would do well to swallow our youthful pride and benefit from the teachings of the school of experience.

Today I shall...

seek advice from my elders and give more serious consideration to deferring to their advice when it conflicts with my desires.

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